"So, are you the envoy of the Shu rebel army?"

Zhou Huaian raised his chin with both hands and asked back a little incredible

"Although we are in Xichuan, we have long heard that among the rebels in the world, we are the most capable of fighting Taiping."

The person who came looked thin and looked vicissitudes, and his hair and beard were tangled together. It was obvious that he had not been able to rest well for a long time.

If it weren't for the so-called local rebel army news and contact person who was released from Yuzhou, Zhou Huaian really didn't know that there had been so many changes in the short term outside of Xiazhou, Guizhou and Kuizhou, in the upper reaches of Shanxi Road and Jiannan River, so many changes had happened.

The cause of this incident originated from the polo emperor who entered Sichuan, but the initiator was Chen Jingxuan, the governor of Xichuan. He was the elder brother of Tian Lingzi and obtained the position of the ceremonial coach by relying on polo to determine the Sanchuan game. As a ceremonial coach, he was very bad in many aspects, but he had a good time in the Losso area.

He sent personnel to various counties many times to detect secret matters, called "seeking people". He asked local officials for money wherever he went and asked for money and property. Two seekers passed by Ziyin Town, but they had nothing to ask for. At that time, Xie Hong, the town general, asked him to invite him on the road, but he still had not arrived.

Xie Hongrang suspected that he might be offended, so he fled into the group of thieves at night. The next morning, the second day, the second searcher left, but Xie Hongrang was actually innocent. The thief Yang Qian lured Xie Hongrang to the head of the army, but arrested Xie Hongrang to the Xichuan Jiedushi Office, claiming that after a confrontation, Xie Hongrang was captured in order to seek merit and reward.

Chen Jing did not interrogate and ordered Xie Hongrang to use a wooden stick to hit Xie Hongrang's back twenty sticks. He nailed Xie Hongrang to Xicheng, Chengdu for fourteen days, poured boiling oil on him, and used gum and erectile swelling to pull away his trauma. His punishment was extremely cruel and everyone he saw was wronged.

There is also Qiongzhou Yaguan Qiangeng who violated the deadline for official business. In order to avoid being punished by a poker, Yang Qian trapped him again. Qiangeng was about to come out of the mountain to surrender himself. When he heard Xie Hongrang's injustice, he scolded Yang Qian for being shameless. He was indignant and vowed to be a thief, drive away and plunder good people, and those who do not obey orders will kill all his family.

More than a month later, he absorbed many fugitive farmers and mountain people who could not bear the tax, developed a team of tens of thousands of people, established troops, and set up military officers at all levels, roaming between Qiongzhou (now Qionglai, Sichuan) and Yazhou (now Ya'an, Sichuan), and conquered cities and towns. Wherever he passed, officials were all tragic.

Previously, there were very few thieves in Shu, and since then, thieves have competed one after another, and the officials of the state and county cannot stop them. So Luo Huqing, Juhu Seng, and Master Luo each gathered thousands of people to respond to him locally.

In the adjacent Shan (South) and West (Dao), there was also the governor of Fuzhou (now Fuling, Sichuan), Han Xiusheng, who cooperated with Qu Xingcong and others to raise an army of rebellion. Chen Jing sent Ya general Yang Xingqian to lead an army of 3,000, Hu Hongluo and Mo Kuangshi each led a local army of 2,000 to attack and fight against the bandits.

As a result, even the battle was defeated, and the local government had no soldiers to send. Chen Jing collected all the soldiers guarding the warehouse gate and sent them to Yang Xingqian. However, just last month, the government troops were defeated in a fierce battle.

Therefore, Qianneng, Luo Huqing, Juhu Seng, Luo Fuzi, Han Qiu and other leaders now occupy many places in Qiongzhou (now Qionglai, Sichuan), Shuzhou (now Chongzhou, Sichuan) to Yuzhou (now Chongqing City). They even approached the foot of Qingcheng Mountain near Chengdu.

However, as the saying goes, things will turn back when extremes are extremes, and prosperity will turn down when extremes are extremes. After many battles, Chen Jingxuan replaced Gao Renhou, a Shenji Camp recommended by Ueda Lingzi, who was born in the imperial guards, and the situation of these rebels suddenly deteriorated.

Gao Renhou is good at fighting and urging methods. First, he instigated Qianneng's spy in the camp and ordered him to go back and secretly spread the news of the court's urging, killing Bai Wen, the interceptor of Shuangliu County, who was unable to move into the thief, to correct the morale of the army;

As a result, Luo Hunqing, the leader of the rebel army who was guarding Shuangliu, pretended to surrender and set up an ambush, but was turned into a true surrender by his subordinates who were volatile. Then he drove the five villages to the troops of various troops to pass the message. The leader of the Chuankou, Ju Hu Sengyan, guarded the village, and beheaded by the shaken ones, but caused civil strife and was sent out by his subordinates.

The leader Han Qiu all surrendered in the thirteen camps set up in Xinjin. Han Qiu jumped into the deep trench and committed suicide. His subordinates hooked his body up, cut off his head and gave it to Gao Renhou.

Then he burned the camp and let Chuankou go. Shuangliu's troops continued to recruit other places with the surrendered soldiers from Xinjin. Luo Fuzi set up nine camps in Yangong, which was shocked by the fire of the Burning Mountains, and fled all night.

Luo Fuzi fled to Qianneng's camp in Yazhou and planned to use all his troops to fight with Qianneng. The plan was not yet agreed and it was almost dark. Gao Renhou arrived with the surrendered people of Yangong. Qianneng and Luo Fuzi rode on the war horse to inspect the camp and wanted to send troops to fight, but his subordinates no longer obeyed the order.

On the next day, Gao Renhou led the government army to approach overnight, and the camps rushed to run out in a hurry. Someone went to catch Qianneng, but Qianneng had no choice but to jump into the well and was captured by everyone. At the same time, he went to capture Luo Fuzi, and Luo Fuzi committed suicide. Then he held Luo Fuzi's head and tied Qianneng to surrender to the government army.

As a result, Gao Renhou sent troops for a total of six days and wiped out the five major bandits in Dongchuan. The bandit camps in other places also sent generals to recruit surrenders. Every time he attacked a county and town, he would give him a new commander and ordered him to appease the people's household registration to prevent the resurgence. Then he recruited boats from Yazhou and led his troops south to the south west road along the river.

At the same time, Song Hao, the governor of Jingnan, who originally occupied Xiazhou, Guizhou, Kuizhou and other places, also decisively abandoned the local area not long ago, and brought the local stronghold, supplies, wealth and goods, and led his troops across Kuimen Pass (Qutang Gorge) and into Shu.

They followed the river and successively occupied Kuizhou (now Fengjie, Sichuan), Wanzhou (now Wanxian, Sichuan), Kaizhou (now Kaixian, Sichuan), Tongzhou (now Tongxian, Sichuan), etc.

Therefore, Han Xiusheng and Qu Xingcong, who were entrenched in Fuzhou and Yuzhou in the southern part of Shannan West Road, were also in front of the Jingnan Army, which was the core of the Zhongwu Army and Shandong Regiment Training. They were also defeated in the battle, and lost a large area of ​​camps and territory laid along the river.

Han Xiusheng, who was about to be attacked by the north-south intervening in Fuling City, made up his mind to send an envoy to risk his ship during the turbulent river, breaking through the Xiajiang River Channel and the official army water camp that was about to rush to the Kuimen River, and accidentally ran to the newly recovered Guizhou territory of the Taiping Army downstream, and sought foreign aid.

"I would like to ask your troops to help you one or two more... I hope to follow the leaders of Hezhou and the Grand Commander."

The visitor was still asking for advice, and even his words became a little unrestrained.

Zhou Huaian really wanted to complain, what did you do when you were in power before? You would have thought of coming to seek foreign aid and help after all. But no matter what, this is a leading party who came to your door; it would undoubtedly be of great benefit to intervene in Sanchuan, Shu in the future.

If you have the opportunity, you can intervene in the Sanchuan situation in Jiannan and thus lay a wedge on Shannan West Road in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River; even causing trouble to the small late Tang court in Chengdu, it would be completely free of charge.

However, the premise of all these planning and conceptions is to find ways to preserve the last stronghold in Fuzhou and serve as an upstream bridgehead. Although there is this opportunity in front of you, Zhou Huaian was a little hesitant and embarrassed.

Although, in addition to Wang Xingkong, who went north to Shangzhou, the military operations of the Taiping Army have basically reached the final stage; however, a large number of three detachments scattered in the local area and their working groups to build grassroots organizations in cooperation with the local garrison teams in the construction of grassroots organizations still require continuous manpower and material investment.

Those remaining soldiers and soldiers who were defeated and scattered, the remnants of the Tuman Mountains and Barbarians who took advantage of the situation, and the people who fled to the mountains to hide from war and camps. If they could not be cleaned up and cleaned up in time, it would be a long-lasting source of chaos. In addition to military strikes and deterrence, a large amount of food and materials are also needed as auxiliary means.

Therefore, if we add this kind of military operation expenditure that will be expanded to a certain extent, we are afraid that it will be difficult to sort out and adjust it. The Taiping Holy Library system, which has just returned to a healthy state from the fiscal deficit and deficit of demolishing the east wall and filling the west wall, will be Alexander again.

Unless he can open up new sources of wealth or make profits in the short term, he immediately convened a temporary military agreement in the back garden of the Zhenya in the city.

Under the shade covered by the ancient trees in the sky, surrounded by a huge sand table, the chairs placed in circles and the chilled cold drinks were the whole of the temporary military parliament venue.

"I want to make it clear first that Han Xiusheng, the governor of Fuzhou, was not a rebel army that was ordinary to make a living; but it was probably an ambitious person who took advantage of the power to seize the power to seize the power to seize the power."

Zhou Huaian took the lead in setting the tone.

"So next, I hope to discuss things based on my personal gains and losses such as my reputation, honor and disgrace, but on the overall interests and standpoint of the Grand Governor's Office."

"I think I can do it...not for other things, the situation in Xiazhou and Guizhou is ready-made. At least the upstream Kuimen is dangerous. You have to find a way to take it down so that you won't be controlled by others."

After touching his chin and thinking for a while, Zhu Cun, who was already the rank of the Third Army, expressed his opinion first.

"I thought Zhu Zhonglang was very serious. If I got below the natural danger of Kuimen, I would not say that the gorge would be safe. Our army would have some evidence for the strategic situation of Shanxi Road in the future, whether it is enterprising or retreating..."

Then there was Zhong Yi, the second general of the First Army, who was also in charge of his righteousness.

"I think this matter can be said to be a little slow. The states of Xiajiang Road are all narrow and poor, and cannot provide much help to our army. They are also water transportation that is on the rise against the trend, relying more on human power to pull fibers. If you cannot make progress in one go, it will be easy to be dragged into a long-term tug-of-war and confrontation."

Those who put forward different opinions were Cao Shixiong, the Zuo Lang general who temporarily served in the Fourth Military Affairs and was also responsible for the Jiangdong area.

"I also agree. What I saw along the way, not to mention the Jiangxi prefectures that are slightly far away, even in the neighboring Hunan, the people's livelihood is exhausted and the benefits of withering. It really takes enough time to rest and recuperate. It is not advisable to use war before the next harvest outside the ridge, especially those who use war."

The Third Army's Right General Su Wuming also echoed loudly.

"In fact, some family thinks that the various states in the Xiajiang River are narrow and the roads are quite difficult and dangerous. Even if they can send a large army to the Kuimen Town, it is quite limited. On the contrary, there is a lot of potential for this river road, so I don't know that the navy still has the strength to call..."

Zhang Juyan, the general of the Sixth Army's left-handed general, interjected carefully.

So, all the eyes of the audience were focused on Wang Chongba and Qian Jumei of the Fifth Army (Sailing Army).

"Since the end of this round of cleaning up the Dongting and Xiangshui River Basin, a small number of people and ships have been transferred to rest and maintenance. If the governor's office needs it, eighty or ninety men and ninety military ships with good condition are drawn to take advantage of the situation."

Wang Chongba immediately spoke up.

"In addition, next month, there will be 30 components of vehicles and ships that will be sent from Guizhou Yueling to Hunan for assembly and use."

The only captain present, Yang Neng, who was in charge of the supervision of the Shengku, then raised his hand to add.

"Then I think I can give it a try, use a small number of elite soldiers to cooperate with the navy, use strange and powerful attacks to complement each other or take them skillfully... Even if things fail, it will not hurt the overall situation."

Hearing that one of the three ranks of the ranks and generals of the 6th Army, Chai Ping, nodded slowly in agreement.

"But if we can accomplish things, it will undoubtedly open up the situation in Shanxi and even in Shu. What's more important is that I think that regardless of how Han Xiusheng and others resisted the old dynasty for their purpose, most of the people under their rule suffered innocently; if they can be protected with the little spare force of our army, it would be a great thing."

Hearing these words, Zhou Huaian couldn't help but look at him with great pride. Unexpectedly, the principle of "a scholar who has been farewell to see him with admiration for three days" actually allowed him to develop a corresponding vision and overall view of the situation and a true sense of saving the world and helping the people during his tenure in Jingzhou.

"So everyone's opinions are also very clear. It is to find a way to draw a partial army without affecting the overall situation, taking the minimum goal of seizing Kuimen and restraining Song Hao's Jingnan Army as the medium- and long-term goal; and waiting for an opportunity to support Han Xiusheng's troops in Fuzhou. Want to maintain the status quo of Shanxi Road?"

Zhou Huaian stood up and concluded while thinking.

"So, we should follow the military orders..."

The generals present stood up and responded.

"The general strategy has been decided. Next, let's confirm how many people should be arranged, which troops should be selected, which battalions should be selected, and how long military supplies should be collected and allocated in advance, as well as the loading of vehicles, horses and equipment, the husbands and animals along the way belong to..."

Zhou Huaian waved his hand and told them to sit down:

"The first army should suppress and intimidate the local situation in the states in Shannan and wait for an opportunity to meet the advance teams heading north to Wuguan; the second army is all horse teams, which are not very useful in such a place along Jiangshan Gorge, but Gu stays near Xiangyang as the reserve team for the base camp. However, with the pack team, four mountain horses can be transferred out first, to."

"The Fifth Army is mainly a navy division. This time, we will first draw a group of large river ships suitable for the rapids and waves and their most skilled veterans; the Seventh, the Eighth Army is still outside the ridge, so there is no need to recruit them."

"The troops that went on this expedition will be sent from the Third Army, Fourth Army and Sixth Army; when you go back, you can arrange and mobilize personnel, and if there is a shortage of combat preparations and equipment, you will directly report to the Holy Cu Department and the Governor's Office's Academic Site."

"There are mountain people from Guiyang Supervisory, Chenzhou and Lianzhou, children of miners, or camps and regiments that are exiled in Fujian, which can be given priority.. All new, temporary and reorganized camps and regiments can be temporarily placed, but it is necessary to ensure the establishment of the Zhanfeng Camp and the garrison camp."

"So, the final composition is best with five to eight battalions? Then, with an armed transport team of about two thousand people, to build the grain platform and whistle tower along the way...."

"Let's do this, according to the maximum number of the access road, the next three camps will be organized one later and then set off. Take the navy's carrier ship to serve as the host and the host.."

"I will then send new firearms and equipment from the model team to join them together. The corresponding budget plan for several months to half a year will be compiled from each group of the army."

"By the way, this time, in addition to ensuring transportation from Shangzhou, the other steamers can also be put into the test of the upstream waterways... and a batch of pack horses will be allocated from the mountain ground in Guizhou as an auxiliary means of rapid traction just in case..."
Chapter completed!